Witemeyer Returns with Her Trademark Blend of Adventure, Romance, and Humor Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can’t let the villain she believes responsible for her father’s death release his … death release his wrath in Harper’s Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she’s ever known.
Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship–dare he believe, courtship?–has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.
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Heart on the Line is one of those reads that stick with you long after you finish reading. I’m still chuckling over the quirky characters and thinking through the spiritual lessons they grew through. Amos is one of those heroes who doesn’t quite fit the mold, yet has all the qualities you would want in a hero. I loved his own acknowledgment of not being the kind of man a woman takes a second glance at. While insecure, he managed to have an underlying confidence that made you root for him even in those moments of doubt. Grace was intelligent, brave, and wise while still having room to grow as a person.
I recommend this novel for fans of friends to more, somewhat awkward heroes, and stories laced with humor, danger, and spiritual truths that don’t Bible thump you.
A fun and touching historical romance between two telegraph operators. I really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to read another book by this author!
This book has a wonderful message, a nice bit of action, some suspense, a hint of danger, and a sweet romance that doesn’t make you wanna gag.
First, Karen Witemeyer packs an emotional punch just from the prologue. Grace Mallory’s father is shown as selfless and loving, just what a father should be. His sacrifice was so poignant, I couldn’t help but immediately form a connection with. And then in the first chapter, we get a glimpse at our hero who just so happens to also be selfless and loving. But his introduction hit me for a different reason. Amos Bledsoe isn’t your typical Western hero with swagger and a gun belt. He’s a bit gawky, somewhat nerdy, and doesn’t have the broad shoulders that most romantic heroes flaunt, and I think that’s why I loved him so much. Don’t get me wrong, he isn’t a weak hero by any means, but his strength is on the inside, and we see that early on. Despite how women tend to treat him, he’s respectful, kind, and chivalrous. And we see his inner strength on display in his interaction with his sister and his descriptions of his mother.
But perhaps what warmed my heart the most is Grace’s acceptance when she realizes Amos doesn’t fit the image she’d created of her anonymous colleague. She appreciates him for exactly what he is. I think her awareness of her own personal misgivings makes her more sympathetic to him, but I think most importantly, she focuses on what she knows of him from their communication over the telegraph: he is warm, funny, and loves his family. More importantly, Amos proves to be a God-fearing man, and that in itself is a very attractive characteristic.
For the full review, visit my blog at https://justjenniferpurcell.com/2018/11/30/heart-on-the-line-by-karen-witemeyer/
I liked this book more than the last one in this series. It seemed more realistic and the characters were likeable, with enough of a mystery to keep me reading.
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! (I would recommend this for older readers (not teens) due to some of the issues that a few of the characters had to go through and deal with.) I don’t want to give away any spoilers. I truly loved how the author was able to keep all the facts about Morse Code straight (my hubby is a HAM). Then, there was so much going on between people in various locations; yet I was able to follow along without any confusion. This was honestly the best of Karen Witemeyer’s books that I have read so far! I’m looking forward to her new series coming out soon! 🙂
This was an excellent book with a little I am not interested, followed by action, and a little danger and of course a happy ending.
I truly enjoyed this book, but admittedly I had to be convinced a little bit first. I’m not a huge fan of reading a book that is in 3 different perspectives, mainly because I don’t want to have to divide my time and focus to more than 2. So when the story started to be in 3, I started to get nervous.
Although Karen hasn’t convinced me that I love this style, I really did end up loving it for this book. Although I felt like Helen’s perspective was more of an interruption when I first started reading it, it ended up being my favorite in the whole book. I found myself wishing more of the book focused on her (and I really wouldn’t mind mind a novella about her life after the end of the book, at least epilogue length).
Now that doesn’t mean that I didn’t love Amos and Grace, because I did. Karen did an amazing job creating a not tall or muscle bound western character, that despite not being those things, wasn’t a pathetic or wimpy character either. I feel most western male characters are either one or the other generically.
I really can’t go wrong when picking up a Karen Witemeyer book. She writes great characters and the storylines are well-paced and entertaining.
I especially appreciate a couple of things in Heart on the Line. First – most heros in westerns are described as brawny and brooding. Maybe like John Wayne or a young Clint Eastwood? Amos is delightfully the opposite. Second – the side-by-side relationships developing between Grace and Amos and Helen and the mystery man. I think the added story from Helen’s POV adds great dimension and depth to the overall plot.
There was A Lot going on with this book. Two ladies found love and they brought down two very bad men. Not to shabby. I laughed a lot and ended the story with a very big smile.
I can’t say enough about how this book reeled me in from the start and kept me plowing forward to its very satisfying conclusion. Grace and Amos were wonderful characters individually, but as a couple their “adorability” factor was off the charts!
I loved that Amos was not your stereotypical western hero, displaying self-deprecating humor at his own lack of brawn and swagger, but was so gallant and courageous where it mattered most— in matters of character and heart.
Elements of faith were woven throughout the story quite naturally and poignantly, not only with the main characters, but with particular regard to a supporting character and her backstory.
If you enjoy action-packed Christian historical romance, I highly recommend picking up Heart on the Line, or any of Karen Witemeyer’s books. She is a master at her craft!
There’s not much more satisfying than a sweet romance with a tinge of danger. Grace is a telegraph operator who is in hiding after the death of her father in the mostly all female town of Harper’s Station. My heart delighted in the throwback way that Amos, a telegraph operator in a neighboring town, and Grace communicated over the lines, but it was the way he rose to the occasion to offer protection that completely won me over.
The threat is lurking throughout this story, but these strong, quirky, and able characters charm the reader right through the perilous times. Although the plot is somewhat predictable, the “normal” main characters offer a way for the reader to relate. Neither is fantastically outstanding in looks and ability, yet they embody a charm and strength that is captivating.
I adored my time spent in this amusing tale and with these special characters.
Content: mild romance; moderate religious themes; very mild violence/moments of peril
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
This book was such an enjoyable read! I love that the hero is a skinny, glasses-wearing nerd with a penchant to talking in his head to the muscled cowboys around him. It was funny both funny and adorable but also had so much in there about love, worth, friendships, loyalty and how intimately God cares about each of us. Loved learning all about the ‘wire’ and how messages used to be sent too. Such fun!
What a action-packed sequel to the Ladies of Harper Station! This one was full of tough scenes and I can’t imagine having to write them myself. But the author did an excellent job keeping things realistic without getting too dark! The balance was perfect. The characters of Harper Station are delightful, and I loved getting to know several of them better in this second book. I hope Ms. Witemeyer isn’t done with them yet!
By now it shouldn’t be a secret that I’m a pretty serious Karen Witemeyer fan. I’m not a die-hard historical fan, but I love the unique situations the past creates, and Witemeyer has included all types of unique situations in her novels. Heart on the Line is no different – two telegraph operators who chat “online” after hours.
Like the other women in Harper’s Station, Grace has a tragic backstory, but has found hope on the women’s colony. She’s also found a bit of gumption, and learns/teaches herself how to face the difficulties confronting her. I really liked her character, and I liked Amos too. Another unconventional leading role, he’s not the ranch-hardened, muscled-up cowboy, but he’s a hero just the same.
An unexpected twist to Heart on the Line is Helen’s subplot. I won’t spoil it here, but I like how Witemeyer gave another character some attention (if you’ve read No Other Will Do and Worth the Wait, you’ll remember that there are quite a few characters in town!).
I’ll be honest, though – Witemeyer has become the standard by which I judge historical romances, including her own, and this one wasn’t my favorite. There seemed to be a lot more introspection in this story. I don’t know for sure that there was, but there was something about it this time that didn’t quite work – the pace dragged a bit compared to some other books. Don’t get me wrong – I still loved the book and I’ll recommend it and loan it out – but it didn’t live up to her other books (in my opinion). That being said, it’s still a fun, sweet read. If you enjoyed her previous books, or if you’re a fan of Mary Connealy’s work, you’ll enjoy this book.
Easy and fun Historical Christian Romance
When I started reading this, I was not aware it was part of a series. It does well as a stand-alone book. I will, however, be looking for the other books so I can read them. Watching the characters grow and develop was interesting; I really had fun reading this.
Heart on the Line was such a fun book to read with a wonderful and somewhat unconventional cast of characters! It had the perfect combination of mystery, humor, cleverness, wit, quirky characters, danger, heartfelt and tender emotion, and lightheartedness all mixed with just the right amount of some more serious and thought provoking (for me anyway) moments. I loved that I was met with immediate intrigue within the first few pages of the book. My attention was instantly captured and my mind engaged in the mystery. The book was fast paced and kept my thoughts and heart involved from beginning to end. Everything throughout the story was so aptly written to elicit in the reader many of the emotions experienced by the characters.
And those very characters were so well done. I loved that neither Amos or Grace was the typical hero or heroine. Amos absolutely endeared himself to me with the way he struggled with knowing that he was not the typical male that sends women into a swoon, but at the same time, not letting that knowledge cause him to try to be something he was not or to give up in his pursuit of Grace. He was simply the best Amos he could be and it was perfect! Amos’ willingness to jump to Grace’s aid even though he didn’t know fully know what was happening and had not even met her was quite noble. I adored his determination to help as well as his patience in proving himself trustworthy to Grace. By the end of the book, he had thoroughly confirmed himself to be a worthy and steadfast partner for Grace, one who would not give up in the face of challenging situations.
Grace was kind of a different leading lady as well in her shyness and wit. I loved her quiet strength and intelligence. She was willing to go through her dangerous situation alone so as not to endanger others, but when the people around her showed her they were willing to stand with her, she demonstrated great wisdom in accepting their help. I very much appreciate a character that is not too stubborn to accept help when needed. I also loved the spark she had with Amos along with their banter and how they encouraged one another and made each other better just by being together.
Heart on the Line was filled with such wonderfully quirky and lovable side characters that made up a solid community of friends for Grace. Some of those characters also made for some very humorous moments in the book as well. And while I enjoyed the main characters very much, it was surprisingly a side character named Helen whose story spoke to me the most. Helen’s story captured my attention and my heart. It was not so much her actual situation, but her struggles with fear and overcoming that fear, realizing that fear held her captive and kept her from really trusting God that resonated with me. She was the source of some of those more serious and thought provoking moments for me.
I highly recommend Heart on the Line as an engaging read with just the right amount of everything from contemplative moments to entertainment through humor and mystery.
**I received a copy of this book from the publisher and have chosen to review it. My opinions are my own.
It was good and not good at the same time. I loved some of the author’s other books so much, I didn’t think that she could go wrong. I don’t fully like her Harper’s Station stories. They all have so much potential though. The female characters in this series have been made to be too manly, and even though mosty of the male characters start off manly, the female characters are allowed to push the males around without any complaints from the male characters. It’s a bit emasculating for the men. I love the male characters but I don’t love the female characters as much because they can be too self centered and unflexible with the male characters.
There’s a reason Karen Witemeyer is one of my favorite historical fiction authors and definitely my favorite Western author. And like all her other novels, this story does not disappoint.
Filled with her signature mix of adventure, humor, and romance, this story is simply sweet and fun. Falling in love “over the wire” presents a unique twist to this historical romance that culminates in a high stakes adventure as Grace and Amos attempt to protect one another from harm. The subplot with Helen and Lee is also endearingly sweet as Lee slowly convinces Helen to love again. While all of Witemeyer’s characters are memorable, I really loved Grace and Amos. Both Amos and Grace consider themselves to be less than desirable- Grace due to her shy, quiet ways and Amos because of his emphasis on intellect versus physical size. However, appearances are deceiving as both characters not only have a strong moral integrity, but are fiercely loyal to their loved ones, willing to sacrifice their lives for each other. Both characters have the heart of a lion and their immense courage in the the face of danger and fear is inspiring, proving that character is worth more than physical appearance. But, I think Amos said it best: “He might not be a lawman or have muscles the size of boulders, but he had heart.” And as the story shows, ultimately, that’s all that matters.
I love all of Karen Witemeyer’s books!